


Breaking through

by Vanilla_Specs



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Fluff, Gladio get's Iggy to dress casually, Gladio is a dork, Gladio loves Iggy, Gladnis, I Will Go Down With This Ship, I don't beta my shit, I don't know where this was going, I'm so sorry, Iggy loves Gladio, Iggy's a snack and Gladio wants a piece, Iggy's shy, Like RIGHT at the end tho, M/M, Noct secretly ships it, Or at least my sorry attempt at fluff, Prompto's just a lil chocobo, So Many Time Skips, Spoilers for Episode Ignis?, but lovingly, forcefully
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-15
Updated: 2019-06-15
Packaged: 2020-05-12 14:24:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19230919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vanilla_Specs/pseuds/Vanilla_Specs
Summary: Needless to say, Ignis find's Gladio attractive and it shows at an inopportune moment, but it just so happens to be a good thing in the long run. However, it took a while for the Adviser to really accept it, unable to shake his shy and uptight nature. Thankfully Gladio knows how to work with it.I'm so shit at summaries I'm sorry, it's pretty much a fluffy oneshot.





	Breaking through

**Author's Note:**

> This is so long, I'm so sorry! I'll be surprised if you end up reading it all lol, if you're up for it, I hope its worth it.
> 
> If not... I'll try harder.

_7 years ago_

With the young Prince Noctis having to train with his future Shield, naturally his chamberlain and future Adviser would oversee sessions and eventually participate in combat training of his own. On top of the extra education and taking care of his charge. Gladio was more interested in testing how far he could push Noctis’ ‘babysitter’, as he often called Ignis, though not to his face. During these sessions was the only time the Shield and Chamberlain came into contact, however minimal it may be at the moment, so curiosity was at its peak of course. 

“Oi. Four-eyes. Wanna give it a shot?” Ignis looked unphased by the minorly offensive name, Noctis looked more than happy to take a break. 

“No,” The blunt tone made Gladio’s eye twitch in irritation. For weeks Ignis had been observing training sessions but didn’t move an inch at all, unless it was to fetch bottles of water or towels, sometimes the medical kit

“C’mon! What do I gotta do to make you fight? Noct needs a break so why don’t you show me what a nerd like you can do?” Noctis glanced over to Ignis with a slight pleading in his eyes, but the adviser-to-be refused to move. 

“Perhaps you’ll get your wish in due time. For now, the pair of you focus, especially you Prince Noctis,” Both Gladio and Noctis just groaned. Despite being young the three of them had their work cut out for them, not just at this moment in time either, it was bound to get worse as the years progressed and the three of them took on more responsibilities. 

“Specs you gotta take Gladio on- He’ll keep calling you a four-eyed nerd if you don’t,” No matter how much Noctis begged, Ignis stood his ground, remaining passive about the prospect. 

“For now I’m to do nothing more than observe. You’ll both get what you want in time, though you’ll be occupied with school and won’t be there to see it,” Noctis looked distraught at the mention of school. It was the weekend at the moment so he didn’t have to worry but… Monday was coming. 

“Hmph. I’ll get Gladio to video it, then I’ll have blackmail for years~” Noctis nudged Ignis’ elbow jokingly, a wide grin on his face that disappeared as the car pulled into the driveway. 

“Do I have to go home? Can I come see your house?” Though it was a harmless question Noctis knew the answer would be no. He was aware Ignis didn’t live with his uncle but he never knew where exactly his friend did live and it made him curious. 

“Another time perhaps. I’ll see you tomorrow Prince Noctis, after all, I have to help you with your homework, no?” The Prince just giggled and hopped out of the car, making his way up the steps with a little drag in his pace. 

Gladio ended up getting his wish. Ignis had been instructed to train with him at least twice a week, no doubt the Shield would enjoy being able knock his new rival around. “Really? You’re gonna use those? Why not use a sword or lance- A mace even?” Gladio seemed puzzled by Ignis’ choice in weapon, two lightweight daggers, compared to his large greatsword. 

“Battles aren’t always won with brute strength Gladiolus, besides, I’m smaller and lighter than you. It makes sense for me to use every advantage, weapons included,” The larger boy looked slightly offended but it was true. Where Gladio was a broad, tall boy, Ignis was thinner and shorter. Though to be fair he was also a year younger than the Shield. 

“Your funeral four-eyes, I’ll go easy on you since it’s your first spar,” Gladio readied his weapon, Ignis took on a defensive stance and barely managed to dodge the first blow, aimed at his head. “Might wanna lose the glasses, don’t wanna break ‘em,” It was apparent Gladio thought Ignis had poor eyesight but how wrong he was. 

The glasses were purely so that the boy could see perfectly, his vision was fine without them. Nonetheless, Ignis put them in his locker, he was fond and protective of them after all. Gladio kept an assertive tone while practically barking criticisms and insults at Ignis, trying to break the calm mask the younger boy wore so naturally, pushing him to the breaking point with rattling attacks that tested Ignis’ agility and stamina simultaneously. Now it was understandable why Noctis was always reluctant to attend his training sessions, he’d rather do his homework.

“Done already? Dunno what I expected to be honest, you’re scrawny and short like Noct, but he gets angry and fights back. You’re too timid,” Gladio stood staring down at Ignis, exhausted and panting, on the verge of snapping from his partners incessant taunting. “Silent treatment, huh? At least one of us can fight, we’re done here,” It takes a lot to anger Ignis, even being a 15 year old he could control his temper, to an extent. Gladio had found every single button and pushed them repeatedly, at the expense of an eyebrow. 

The larger boy stumbled back in shock, nursing minor burns on his fingers and looking plain dumbfounded. Though despite Ignis’ hands and daggers being practically in flames, Gladio looked more than willing to accept the challenge. “Alright sparky, let’s go, you owe me a new eyebrow,” Things got considerably more interesting now that Ignis’ mask had broken, his movements were faster and less shy, not to mention the added fire. In a literal sense. 

By the end of the day both boys were covered in bruises and completely worn out, so much so that Gladio had to take Ignis home to his uncle after passing out. That explanation was pretty awkward needless to say, ‘Hey I was training your nephew and kicked his ass so much he actually burst into flames and returned the favour,’ It sounds hardly believable, so the boy just said that he’d passed out from exhaustion. 

Though the next day while Gladio was training with Noct, Ignis turned up as though nothing happened, given that the oldest boy was clearly distracted for the remainder of Noct’s session. 

“Hey big guy- You're slacking. Something wrong?” Noct whispered in case there really was something wrong but Gladio just shook his head. 

“Nothing. I wanna talk to four-eyes for a sec, hit the shower will you? You stink,” After a bit of a shove Noct did as he was told, rather curious as to why Gladio of all people would want to talk to Ignis but not so much that he’d question it. “Oi four-eyes, wanna explain what you did yesterday? Iris made fun of me for hours,” The clueless bespeckled boy just looked at him in confusion.

“I beg your pardon? If it’s about your lack of an eyebrow I have nothing to do with it,” Out of frustration Gladio hauled Ignis to his feet by the scruff of his shirt. 

“You’re telling me you don’t remember radiating flames and burning my eyebrow off?” The shorter boy just frowned in disapproval, pulling his collar out of the others grip and straightening his shirt out. 

“That’s exactly what I’m saying. Seems as though you spend too much time here, you’re delirious,” Gladio looked ready to use force to get the answer he wanted but relented and stepped back, muttering under his breath as he walked away. 

“Ready to go? I’ve gotta get home, homework… Food might be nice.” Noct looked to Ignis expectantly from the doorway, waiting his for his adviser-to-be to catch up so they could walk together. 

Finally alone Gladio began thinking back to yesterday, strictly speaking the scrawny boy he pushed around couldn’t have the capacity to use magic but, if the events of yesterday were anything to go by… It wasn’t impossible, it seems as though the Prince has a peculiar babysitter. Strangely he found more interest in the Chamberlain than the Prince, Noct would have powers unparallel to his own but he’s royalty so it makes sense, a common boy with no royal ties using magic so abruptly was more than intriguing. 

\-----------------------------

_5 years ago_

“Yo Iggy, wanna help me study?~” Ignis just sighed at the hopelessness of his friends. Namely Prompto and Noct, Gladio wasn’t hopeless per se, at least he asked for help. 

“Not particularly but if it means you’ll pass, I’ll oblige,” Prompto groaned and laid his head on his book, he felt it was unfair that all of them excluding Ignis had exams next week. 

“Why don’t you have tests Iggy...? It’s totally unfair! Actually- Why don’t you go to school with us?” The largest of the group slapped him on the back, Prompto jumping up with a high-pitched yelp. 

“‘Cause he’s a smartass. Didn’t you know this guy already has like college level grades? Special education for extreme nerds,” Being the newest and more normal of the group Prompto was clueless to the inner workings of Gladio and Ignis’ lives. 

“That’s hardly the case. You know exactly why I do not attend school like you three, Gladio. Simply put, I had a different and more… Specialised education, for future endeavours.” The blonde boy just looked blankly at Noct, almost like he was asking for help. 

“I’ll explain it in English… We’re all dumbasses and Specs got special schooling for helping me in the future,” Gladio threw his pen in Noct’s direction but missed tremendously, the latter pocketing it with a smug smile. 

“Not all of us are dumbasses, just you two,” Bickering was common for these four, as it is for every group of friends at some point, but these would escalate into fights. Usually between Noct and Gladio, Prompto would attempt at being the peacekeeper while Ignis either scolded them or let them learn a lesson or two by leaving them to it. And then lecture them profoundly.

“Hey- I got Iggy to think for me- I don’t need school,” Despite Noctis being 15, he was still as arrogant as a child, not that he’s much older than one. But with Gladio being 18, Ignis 17 and Prompto being 15 too, there wasn’t much to work with. 

“Noct, I’m not going to do your homework for you, nor will I be thinking for you, I’m simply there to advise you. No lunch until you’re finished, all of you,” Noct quickly joined Prompto in laying with his head on his book. 

It wasn’t often the 4 of them met at Gladio’s house because of Iris but today was a rare exception, since she was at a friends until later on and Clarus was always home late. “Guys it’s getting late, Cor’s outside waiting so I gotta go,” Noct packed his things, packed meaning jammed into his backpack, Ignis looked ready to join until Noctis shook his head. 

“Gladio needs your help, I’ll see you tomorrow. Need a lift Prompto?” The lively boy immediately packed up and grabbed his coat, jumping up with a new found energy. 

“See you later guys, hey Iggy, thanks for the help. I might actually pass maths~” Ignis gave a nod of approval and sat back down. 

“Should you require anymore help, you have my phone number,” Prompto grinned widely, heading out with Noct. “So… Blondy has your number but I don’t?” There was an apparent sound of offense in his tone. 

“You never asked for it. Why do you sound so offended? It’s not as though you need it,” The bleakness of Ignis’ reply just seemed to further annoy him. 

“You never offered it, what if I want it?” Ignis rolled his eyes and with a bit of reluctance grabbed Gladio’s hand, writing his phone number on his palm. The elder just looked sort of confused but content. “That was easier than I expected, gives me an excuse the annoy the crap outta you now,” Ignis didn’t reply- or even give an indication he’d heard him- Instead just continued reading his book. 

“Hey- Want me to give you… A ride home,” Gladio looked over at Ignis who had fallen asleep, glasses lopsided from where he was leaning on his hand and hair stuck up on one side. 

He sighed and tried to decide whether or not to wake him up, ultimately he decided against it, picking him up as carefully as he could so as not to wake him and carried him to his room. Though Ignis would probably have an aneurysm about it tomorrow, it was better than the couch at least, oddly enough the young man found himself staring at his sleeping companion. 

Needless to say Gladio had a newfound interest in the boy after their sparring issue a couple of years ago, though there was something calming about seeing the normally stotic boy so relaxed, even if he is unconscious. He looked at his palm where Ignis’ number was written, the perfect handwriting looked odd against calloused hands, a reminder of the difference between the two of them. Rather than sit beside his friend, since it was odd, Gladio retreated to the couch and made himself comfortable enough to sleep or at least nap. 

A little while later Gladio awoke to Iris poking him, it was past midnight at this point. “Hey, what’re you doing on the couch? You’re room is just there lazy butt,” She was about to open his door until Gladio threw a pillow at her, shaking his head with a finger to his lips. 

“Ooo~ Gladdy got a girl round? Finally gonna tell me her name?” Iris naturally assumed her brother was interested in a girl, he never explicitly revealed he’d met someone nor had he for that matter but he might be interested in someone. 

“No and no. Just- Go to bed, it’s late and you’ve got school,” She pouted and moved away from the door, still curious as to who he was hiding in there but, she did as she was told and scurried upstairs. Gladio didn’t move until he heard her door close, opening his own door as quietly as possible. Ignis was still sound asleep, laid on his side with half his face covered by the duvet. Just before he was going to leave, he heard Ignis muttering something inaudible, Gladio quickly figured out the boy talks in his sleep.

By the time Gladio woke up the next morning Iris had gone to school and even Clarus had stopped by briefly. When he went to check on Ignis he found the bed neatly made with a note, the handwriting made it apparent who left it. 

_Gladiolus,_  
Apologies for leaving without saying goodbye or expressing my gratitude for allowing me to spend the night. I believe I’m scheduled to train with you later, allow me to treat you to dinner afterwards, think of it as me thanking you.  
Ignis.

Gladio clicked his tongue and put the note on his desk, a change of clothes is in order before anything else. So once he’d showered, changed and eaten, Gladio headed out to the training hall. It was a lot later than he imagined so he was actually a little late for Noct’s session but not that it would matter to the Prince, the less beating he took the happier he would be. 

“Not like you to be late, shoulda asked Iggy to take me home already,” Noctis was sat on the bench with his GameBoy, Ignis sat in the corner with his textbooks surrounding him as well as various notes from meetings he attended for Noct.

“Yeah well, I overslept, no missing out on an ass-whooping for you. Iggy- You’re next,” Both boys looked overjoyed at the prospect, though the sounds of Noct grunting and yelping from getting his ass-kicked was enough to deter anyone from trying to spar Gladio. Prompto was the lucky one, he was able to train with firearms at a firing range, occasionally with other Glaives to give him some moving targets and combat simulation. 

“By the way Noctis, you’ll be going to the library to study, not directly home,” Noct just groaned and remained laid on the floor, panting like a dog and in a foul mood. For at least an hour Gladio repeatedly floored the Prince until he finally gave up. 

“C’mon Ignis- It’s time to switch,” Checking his watch before speaking, Ignis closed his notepad and rose to his feet, Noct perking up immediately. 

“I’ll take you to the library, I will pick you up in a couple of hours, please behave. I don’t want to have to apologise to the librarian for your behaviour again,” Gladio snickered but quietened down when he received an icy glare from both Noct and Ignis.

Not half an hour later Ignis had returned, seemingly prepared for whatever beating he was in for from Gladio, he’d even left his glasses in the car. “Man, I was falling asleep waiting for you to get back. By the way- Y’know you talk in your sleep?” While Gladio was grinning, Ignis was looking very embarrassed. 

“I was unaware. I’m sorry for falling asleep by the way… I didn’t intend to stay that long,” The older boy just waved a hand and set his weapon aside, the wooden one anyway. 

“Don’t sweat it, it wasn’t a problem and you said you’d make up for it, I ain’t gonna argue with you,” Even though Gladio had put his sword down, Ignis was still on guard in case the other decided to catch him off guard. 

“Indeed and a wise choice. Though, might I ask why you were watching me sleep? That’s quite odd, even for you…” In a split second Gladio had gone from smug to embarrassed. 

“I uh- I moved you to my bed, the couch didn’t seem comfy for you and… I kinda checked on you before I went to sleep,” That was the easiest and less revealing explanation. Had he told Ignis that he found him cute asleep… He’d never hear the end of it. And things would be awkward. It’s not a lie but not the whole truth either.

“I see… If you require my help again I’ll have to leave earlier,” Both boys looked ready to defend at any time, even though neither were going to attack yet. 

“Y’know, I hear Noct talking about your cooking sometimes, tell you what. You manage to land a scratch on me, I’ll buy you a coffee and if not, you cook me something. Deal?” While it may not be what Ignis had in mind, it wasn’t a bad deal, the stakes were low at least. 

“Make it 2 and you have a deal,” Gladio clicked his tongue and grinned, picking up his wooden sword and swinging it on his shoulder. The older man was at a slight disadvantage, using a great sword was slow but powerful, with the other using daggers and speed to his advantage. Unfortunately Gladio skidded over and knocked Ignis’ feet out from under him so he fell forwards. 

“Iggy...?” The blonde boy instantly went red-faced when he realised the situation, attempting to flee but Gladio grabbed his wrist and pulled him back onto his lap, both hands locked firmly around either wrist.

“Please let go of me, I’d rather not be further humiliated,” Despite Ignis’ request and pleading look, Gladio didn’t loosen his grip at all. 

“I wasn’t laughing. ‘Ey look at me- No reason to be so embarrassed Iggy,” The slight reassurance didn’t have the desired outcome, Ignis still struggled to free himself.

“Let go, please…” With a heavy sign Gladio released his grip and the boy fell backwards, scrambling to his feet and grabbing his backpack before leaving swiftly. That didn’t stop Gladio staring after him and proceeding to call him later on. 

\------------------------

_“Jeez, you finally picked up,”_

_“Do you need something or is this a social call? I’m slightly busy at the moment,”_

_“You’re always busy. I need to talk to you, I wanna talk about earlier,”_

_“There’s nothing to talk about,”_

_“Mhm. I think there’s something you’re not telling me,”_

_“Think what you like, there’s nothing I wish to tell you,”_

_“Where are you?”_

_“Why? In fact- I’m not telling you,”_

_“I’m coming to find you and we’re gonna talk about it, like it or not stubborn-ass. Maybe I’ll just ask Noct? I’m guessing you just dropped him home so…”_

__

__

_“Don’t you dare.”_

_“I’m on my way over, suck it up. See you in 20.”_

Now he thought about it, he probably should have given this talk real thought, Ignis could be relentless with his words and not bat an eye during an argument because he knew how to win. Much like when the pair of them spar, Gladio may have more combat prowess and a bigger build but it didn’t matter when Ignis is smarter and faster, the opposite of Noct for sure. It seems like it was a bad idea to have called him out about it now. 

Gladio reached the block of flats Ignis stayed at just as the boy was turning the corner, his nose buried in a book even now. That's when Gladio had the bright idea to try and scare him, sneaking behind the block through an alley and waiting in the shadows, “Don’t even think about it. You’re very heavy footed if you didn’t already know,” Ignis glanced up from his book briefly, Gladio grinning in minor embarrassment. 

“Yeah well- It was worth a try, so, what am I doing here? Coulda just come to the citadel y’know,” Gladio followed the younger boy through the door and up the stairs, this was definitely different from what he was used to seeing. These flats seemed more like dormitories than apartments, though since Ignis was technically still a student it was appropriate. 

“I was working and I also owe you a cooked meal don’t I? Two birds, one stone,” It took a second for that to register with Gladio but he didn’t argue back. 

Upon entering Ignis’ room he felt an overlooming sadness, it wasn’t much of a room for a teenage boy. It was basic and bare, it looked barely lived in as well but the piles of books in the corner, neatly stacked mind you, and the full bookshelf definitely made it home for Ignis. There was even a little flower on the windowsill. Not that he was actually here often enough to call it home, he was at the citadel working or with Noctis most of the time, the only time he was here was to sleep and maybe make dinner depending on the time he returned.

“We need to get you a poster, y’know, brighten this place up a bit with more than a flower,” Gladio sat on the desk and watched as Ignis put his things away.

“Do you mind if I change clothes?” That didn’t sound like a real question but the expectant look that came with it said otherwise. 

“Uh- Sure? It’s your room so… I’ll turn around hang on,” He moved from the desk to the chair and swivelled around to look out of the window, hearing the rustling of clothes and the faint sound as they fell to the floor, only to be picked up and folded in a pile.

“Shall we? The kitchen is likely to be empty at this time,” He turned around and was slightly shocked at how much a change of clothes could change how someone looked. Ignis had changed out of his usually formal attire into a simple t-shirt and shorts, amusingly the back of his hair was sticking up where he’d taken off his undershirt, but of course Gladio wouldn’t tell him about it. 

“Where’d you learn to make pizza?” While Gladio was snooping around the kitchen and living room area, Ignis had prepared him something simple to eat. 

“There’s something called a recipe book, you might learn a thing or two if you read one. I had to learn to cook for Noctis… Now, that’s one thing off the agenda, you wanted to talk?” Secretly jealous of Noct getting cooked meals that were brilliant to say the least, Gladio sat back in the chair and waiting for Ignis to sit, given that he showed no signs of doing so. 

“Gonna sit or stand there like a pleb?” Reluctantly Ignis sat in the chair opposite, the way they sat were almost opposites, one formal and reserved, the other open and relaxed. “Well first off, I get the whole horny teenager thing, trust me,” Ignis visibly cringed at Gladio’s choice of words. 

“Must you be so crude? That fiasco was embarrassing enough without your choice in phrasing to explain it,” That only put a sly grin on the others face, one Ignis grew weary of very quickly.

“C’mon it’s totally natural, dumb and dumber probably get it worse than you or me ‘cause they’re younger so chill out. Secondly, something you wanna tell me? As to why that happened?” A blush started creeping its way onto Ignis’ cheeks that only got worse when Gladio came and leaned over him. 

“No...” A large hand came to rest on one of his cheeks and he instantly froze, staring up into mischievous brown eyes as his head was tilted upwards. 

“Well that’s a lie, you’re blushing. Y’know I never thought you were able to feel like that, you’re always so reserved and collected, hidden behind that mask you wear all too well. What happens if I break it? I’ve done it once and I’ll do it again, this time for a different reason,” Truthfully Ignis had never felt emotions such as this because he was taught not to. He was always told to do his job without letting his feelings get in the way, one of the reasons the boy was so overwhelmed by what had happened and what was happening. 

“What are you trying to do? What do you want from me, hm?” His voice was uncharacteristically shaky and Gladio could tell his plan was working. 

“I just want you to fess up and I’ll do whatever it takes to make that happen,” He stole Ignis’ glasses and held them out of the boys reach with a taunting smile. “Fess up or I’m keeping ‘em,” Ignis just scowled and thought for a moment about how to get them back without resorting to violence or confessing. 

“Well what will you do if I do relent? Or if I don’t?” At this point Ignis was on his feet, waiting for an answer before making his choice. 

“That depends. If I’m involved, we’ll see, if not you can have ‘em back and I’ll forget about it. But if you don’t tell me, I’ll have to get more creative,” That didn’t leave much of a choice to the boy. Although what he did do seemed to surprise Gladio more than himself. On his tiptoes Ignis caught Gladio off guard in a kiss that seemed to confirm any suspicions, he threw the glasses on to the chair and locked his fingers in the blonde hair, his other hand slipping under the t-shirt. Strangely the scars from the burns tingled when he touched his skin but not in a bad way, seems as though Ignis wasn’t the only one that needed to say something. 

Desperate to breathe Ignis pulled away and took a deep breath, Gladio was practically speechless, he’d kissed many people but nothing came close to that. “Satisfied? I think that was more than appropriate,” Gladio was actually struggling to comprehend his own feelings now, before he really liked Ignis sure but this was something else, something more than just a crush. 

“Hardly say satisfied but… I got my answer,” The longer Gladio stared at the smaller boy, the more he found appealing. Bright green eyes with flecks of blue, unruly dirty blonde hair, fair skin… Even his eyebrows were perfect. It was enough to make his heart jump in his chest, despite not knowing a lot about this boy he’d go as far as to say he loved him, the mystery was a bonus. 

“Why are you staring at me like that?” Ignis waved a hand in front of Gladio’s face and he snapped out of his thoughts. 

“Uh my bad… I got one last question but, I want you to think about it, ‘cause it’s kinda crazy… Even thinking about is weird...” Ignis just looked up at him with an eyebrow raised and his arms crossed. 

“I think I know where this is going, allow me to save you the embarrassment. I’ll consider it,” Gladio smiled and this time it was genuine rather than having some other implication. 

“Well it’s getting late so I’d better go, um, wanna meet me at the cafe tomorrow? When you’re free that is,” Ignis thought about it for a second and nodded with a small smile. 

“Take this with you, just return the plate when you get the chance,” He covered the leftover pizza with tinfoil and handed it to Gladio, who grinned appreciatively before he headed out. Ignis looked around the room to see if there was anything that needed tidying up before he went to bed, going over the events of today which amounted to it being one of the strangest days of his life so far.

\--------------------

_4 years ago_

“Oi! Gladio! Where’s Specs?” Noct came barging into the training hall, Prompto on his heels but looking weary of being in the citadel. 

“You think I know? He’s your babysitter, phone him,” Rather angrily Noctis showed the list of missed calls to Ignis, a child-like scowl plastered on his face.

“‘Cause you two seem pretty chummy, what you bury him for kicking your ass? C’mon… I need help studying and Prompto’s hopeless,” The blonde boy whined and punched Noct’s shoulder playfully. 

“Well I ain’t seen him since this morning, study on your own for once, teachers are a thing and so’s a library,” Noct rolled his eyes and grabbed Prompto’s arm, the pair of them leaving as quickly as they arrived. Gladio rose from the bench to his locker, Ignis stumbling out when it opened with his hands bound and mouth covered with tape. 

“What? Hey- Don’t you glare at me- You wanna help Prince dumbass study all the time?” He peeled off the tape as gently as he could but Ignis didn’t relent in glaring coldly. 

“I’m supposed to help, that’s my job, surprisingly being restrained and hidden in your locker or the closet isn’t, nor is it enjoyable,” While Ignis looked irritated, Gladio was grinning slyly. 

“Well I could tie you up somewhere else, don’t think you’d hate that idea to be honest,” The younger man simply raised an eyebrow and tried pushing his glasses back up.

“I Beg your pardon? If you’re not going to let me do my job, can you at least untie me?” Gladio rolled his eyes and untied the bindings, tossing the rope into his locker and pushing it shut. 

“So you wanna use real weapons this time?” A mischievous glint appeared in Ignis’ eyes and the click of a lock turned Gladio’s attention to the cuffs locking him to the pole behind him. “You-” Ignis held a finger against his lips to quieten him. 

“I have a Prince to find and you… Have a key to find,” The blonde slung his bag over his shoulder and winked at the dumbfounded Gladio, flashing a seemingly innocent grin before taking his leave. “Hey! Get your ass back here! Where’d you even find these?! Iggy!” Hopeless and apprehensive he sat on the bench as comfortably as he could, starting his hindered search for the key. 

Prompto perked up as soon as Ignis appeared walking down the hallway, Noct realising and giving a hefty sigh of relief. “Specs! Where’ve you been?” Both boys bundled Ignis, mockingly crying like children.

“Apologies, I had a prior engagement that took longer than expected. Gladio told me you were looking for me,” Noct and Prompto let go of Ignis and returned to their seats. 

“Noct needed help with his math,” The Prince stuck his tongue out at his blonde friend who now wore a huge grin on his face. 

“Shut up- You need help too! Oh- I should tell you now you’re here- I’m staying at Prompto’s to study tonight so don’t worry about going to my apartment tonight. I swear it’s clean!” Noct sounded sincere but Ignis wasn’t entirely convinced.

“I’m not sure it’s to my standard of tidy… But if you insist. Do you require me to drive you home? Both of you that is,” Prompto didn’t seem fussed either way but knowing Noct’s habit of being lazy, it was likely Ignis would give them a lift. 

“A lift to Prompto’s wouldn’t go amiss, cheers Iggy,” For the remainder of the afternoon Ignis helped the pair of them with their homework, as well as giving Noctis his notepad with notes from the recent council meetings, gods know the boy wouldn’t pay attention to Ignis explaining them.

Just before Ignis was about to drive off, Gladio appeared at the drivers window and the young man jumped out of his seat with an uncharacteristic yelp. “Gladio! What’s in blazes are you doing?” He took in a deep breath and settled down quickly, Gladio had ran around to the passenger side and taken the seat with a childish grin. 

“Couldn’t resist, sorry Iggy~ So where we going?” Ignis took a moment to compose himself, glaring at Gladio before promptly driving off. 

“I’d planned on stopping by Noct’s apartment before going home, I’d like to make sure he wasn’t lying about it being clean. I can drop you home if you like, or elsewhere?” There was a slightly sarcastic tone to the bespeckled man's voice but Gladio didn’t seem to notice. 

“Nah, I’ll stay with you if it's cool, not like I get to annoy you a lot these days~” Ignis sighed and muttered something under his breath, too quiet for Gladio to hear. 

“I fear as though I’m going to regret allowing you to join me,” The larger man just chuckled and eyed his friend, he hadn’t been able to see him in the same way after that day about a year ago. True enough Ignis had taken time to think about it but they both needed to decide if it was the right thing to do, so neither had brought up the matter since then but it was clear as day to Gladio how he felt about his friend. 

One would think that the brief kiss they’d shared would make things awkward but in truth it seemed to make their bond stronger, not that it wasn’t noticeable, Ignis would often lose his professional self around Gladio but he’d soon remember. 

“Hey, you got the night off, right?” The blonde man glanced over at his larger friend for a moment, returning his gaze to the road. 

“Perhaps. Why do you ask?” With Noctis staying at Prompto’s, Ignis didn’t really have anything else to do other than maybe a few bits of paperwork. 

“Wanna come out with me later?” It was a long shot for sure but the other two weren’t old enough to drink and normally Ignis was too busy, with some free time he might change his mind. 

“I… Why exactly are you asking me? Aren’t there other friends you have that would be more than willing? And more entertaining…” A frown appeared on Gladio’s face, slightly annoyed at how Ignis belittled his own importance. 

“I’m asking you ‘cause you’re my best friend and I wanna spend time with you,” The blonde man just remained silent, keeping his attention on the road. “C’mon Iggy… You need to have a bit of fun, you were barely a kid or a teen,” Continued silence. Gladio even started poking Ignis’ cheek until he so much as glanced at him. 

“Fine. If it’ll get you off my case I’ll come with you,” The Shield-to-be huffed in victory, sitting back to bask in his accomplishment. 

“In that case, I’ll pick you up at 9, try to look normal will you?” Before Ignis could even open his mouth to reply Gladio had taken the opportunity to jump out of the car, at least they were at the traffic lights and stationary. Ignis didn’t really know how to dress normally though, it’d be an interesting problem for him to counter later on.

As 9 o’clock rolled around Gladio let himself into Ignis’ flat, making sure none of his flatmates were around before sitting down at wait for his friend. 

“You still look like a nerd, come here… Lemme fix it,” Ignis tried running and hiding in his room but, Gladio easily caught up and stood staring at him, seeing what he could do to transform a nerd into a normal young adult. “First, lose the glasses, I know you can see fine without ‘em,” He took the glasses and set them on the desk, Ignis looking less than thrilled so far with his makeover. 

“Don’t look at me like that, save it for when I’m done. Okay either lose the shirt or unbutton it, sleeves rolled up. You always wear a tshirt under it so don’t pout. Got any trainers? They’ll look better with jeans,” The younger man just did as he was told, unbuttoning his shirt and rolling the sleeves above his elbows, changing his shoes to black trainers. He hardly wore such shoes so they were almost new, black hightop converse. 

“You’re really gonna hate me now, close your eyes,” Sheepishly Ignis did so and Gladio started messing up his hair, looking much less tidy and formal but still stylish somehow, it just stuck up in places but still looked good enough that Gladio was happy with it. “Lastly, here, put this on. It's not flashy but it’ll suit you,” He handed the smaller man a thick black wristband, completing Gladio’s work. 

“I hate you sometimes. This is completely undignified,” True enough Ignis looked quite mortified with his new look. 

“Well at least you wore stuff I could work with. I mean, if you had bootcut jeans instead of skinny I’d flip, these suit you too well. Let’s go before I change my mind, I wouldn’t say no to taking you to bed~” Gladio was truely impressed with his handy work, in fact he took a full length picture and sent it to Noct as well as saving it of course. He definitely wouldn’t object to spending his evening with his friend, innocently or otherwise, innocent wasn’t on his mind right now though. 

“Pardon? And please don’t tell me you just sent a photo to Noct,” The older man just flashed a grin and showed evidence of his crime, the tips of Ignis’ ears turning bright pink. 

“Oh come on Iggy, I wanna save the moment, I’ve never seen you look so casual, it really suits you,” Ignis just frowned at himself in the mirror as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. 

The usual suit had been replaced by a black tshirt, white buttoned down shirt, black skinny jeans and trainers, not the mention the mess of hair and lack of glasses. Gladio didn’t look much different to normal, just a little better presented; White tshirt, dark blue skinny jeans with faded knees, trainers and his signature necklace, a grey hoodie tied around his waist. At least he had forgone the hat for once. 

During the walk Gladio received a reply from Noct, a picture of him and Prompto looking positively shocked with a hint of awe, the caption read; ‘Prompto said that if you don’t date him, he will. He looks awesome btw. Just don’t break him, I’ll kick your ass if you do.’ “Hey Iggy, take a look at Noct’s reply,” Gladio wiggled his eyebrows at his friend, who of which looked mildly uncomfortable but he seemed to be getting used to it. 

“Do I want to? I feel violated, figuratively speaking,” Upon seeing Noct’s reply Ignis’ face went from pale to tomato red in seconds. “Good lord…” He then kept walking silently, pouting as he did so like a child that’s been told off. Gladio couldn’t help but stare at his friend, thankfully Ignis didn’t realise or else he’d need an excuse for it. 

“So outta curiosity, how many drinks can you hold?” Ignis cleared his throat and avoided eye contact at all costs. 

“Truthfully I don’t know. I fear you’re going to try and find out,” Damn straight he would. 

“Hell yeah, I’ll even carry you home if it means you kick back for once,” The blonde man sighed with uncertainty, looking increasingly nervous at the prospect. 

Though throughout the night Ignis had almost entirely forgotten his formalities, much to Gladio’s enjoyment. A couple of drinks and a lot of persuasion got him on the dancefloor, leaving his shyness in the corner. Gladio kept him close though too close to still be considered as just friendly, his hands casually buried in Ignis’ front pockets, pressing feather-like kisses against the back of his neck.

It was very hard for him to resist his urges, even if it was his best friend that was the cause, but really how was he supposed to keep calm when said guy was practically the literal definition of hot. Noct and Prompto seemed to agree after seeing that picture at least. Gladio just savoured the moment, having his best friend/crush pressed up against him with false innocence, the smaller man seemed to enjoy teasing his larger companion endlessly, experimentally wiggling his hips every so often. 

“Keep that up and you won’t be sleepin’ tonight…” Gladio’s voice was but a low whisper in Ignis’ ear, the smaller man turned around to face his companion, a seductive smile on his face. “Is that a threat or a promise…?” For once Gladio wasn’t sure, he supposed it was open to interpretation but now he just wasn’t sure, it’s not as though the thought hadn’t crossed his mind. If someone told him a couple of years ago that he’d be falling head over heels for his best friend, he’d have laughed in their face and called them a liar. Now he’s sure he’s dreaming. 

Firstly, in no reality did he believe Ignis would ever dress so casually without a real fight. 

Second, he was being the biggest tease, that wasn’t something you’d think looking at the guy normally. 

Third, there was no way in hell he’d dare lock Ignis in his locker unless he was truely close with him. 

Fourth, every time Ignis touched him, even accidentally, the faint scars on his hands tingled, as if the fire was still there.

And lastly, with every sideways glance and smile, Gladio’s heart always seems to skip a beat and his cheeks heat up. All of which are things uncharacteristic to both men, apart from when they're together. 

While Gladio was stuck in his daydream, Ignis plucked up his courage and pecked the older man's cheek. It was purely innocent but Gladio couldn’t hold himself together, desperate to feel that burning sensation that only came with Ignis’ touch, he moved to tangle his fingers in the blonde locks and leaned down to catch the other in a needy kiss. Thankfully one of them remembered they were still in public so when Gladio tried making things more intimate, Ignis put a stop to it by pulling away, an eyebrow raised in a sarcastic but questioning manner. 

Gladio just grinned crookedly and shrugged his shoulders, taking his companion by the hand and leading him outside, the cold air a godsend after the heat inside. “Better take you home, getting kinda late,” Since Ignis looked more than exhausted Gladio kneeled down, gesturing for the other to climb onto his back, which he did so with some reluctance. 

“It’s not that late… Ah- Perhaps it is,” A brief look to his wristwatch and the blonde man was smiling softly against the hard shoulder, his own tiredness mixed with the steady pace Gladio walked just made it impossible for him to stay awake. Upon feeling his friend relax considerably, head rested on his shoulder so some stray hair tickled Gladio’s neck, the larger man couldn’t help but grin. Not a coy grin or anything like that but it was a warm, loving one. 

Despite his adoration for the sleeping man, he couldn’t help but send a picture to Noct, it wasn’t an easy feat to say the least and Ignis would certainly scold him in the morning. Unless he never found out but Noct and Prompto can’t keep a secret. Although Gladio was at a loss on where to go, his place was closer but would Ignis freak out in the morning? Better walk an extra 10 minutes than have his friend panic for a moment tomorrow, besides, he isn’t that heavy.

“Hey, Iggy, wake up… You’re home,” Ignis lifted his head, half-asleep and dazed, stepping down to unlock his door. As Gladio was about to leave, he grabbed the back of his tshirt, the shield-to-be immediately lost for words as he saw the look on Ignis’ face. 

“I- Can… Can you stay with me?” While Ignis looked slightly terrified, most likely because he’s not one to ask such things, ever, Gladio just nodded and followed him in. 

“Iggy, maybe tomorrow we should… Y’know… Talk about whatever this is, it’s confusing to me,” The blonde glanced over from where he was sitting, taking a moment to think about it. 

“I agree. But… Perhaps we could talk about it now. If you’re willing, that is,” Gladio plopped down next to Ignis, not daring to look him in the eyes, they were too distracting. 

“In that case… I’m just gonna come out and say it. I think- Despite it all- might I love you. I mean, you just look at me and I feel like a giddy schoolgirl, Iggy, I didn’t wanna admit I was falling for my best friend but I think I have. A year ago you kissed me and I’ve been craving it ever since, it’s like, you touch me and it burns but I like it…” Ignis remained silent and attentive while Gladio let his heart out at least as much as he dared at this point. 

“You know… While you may speak rather crudely at times, you really have a way with words. Admittedly after that night I wasn’t able to forget, regardless of my efforts. While I don’t have poetic words like you, I hope you see what I’m trying to say,” Gladio quickly realised Ignis had a nervous habit of biting his lip, something he’d not noticed before actually, despite staring at the guy every chance he got. 

“Any bright ideas on how to solve this? We could stay friends or… Try something else, it’s up to you too,” Another thing Gladio noticed as he gazed at his friend, was that his eyelashes were quite long, he was pretty sure some women would have pined over them along with his eyebrows. Now that he thought about it, Ignis was practically walking perfection, with the added caffeine addiction and nervous habit. 

“We were already supposed to be ‘just friends’, clearly that didn’t work out at all,” Both of them sat in silence for a moment, taking time to reflect before deciding the best choice. 

“Well then. I say we give it a go at the next step, if it don’t work then that's that. Objection?” When Ignis remained silent Gladio took it as a ‘no’. “Just so y’know, your new name in my phone is gonna be boyfriend instead of bestie~” That drew out a smile from Ignis, although he stiffened when Gladio pulled him into a hug, that was still very new territory. 

The next morning Ignis awoke in Gladio’s arms, slightly saddened he had to leave the warm embrace to shower and change. When he returned clean and fresh clothes Gladio was awake, red faced about something Ignis was afraid to ask about. 

“Are you always red faced in the morning?” The older man just turned and stuck his tongue out. 

“No- Noct just messaged me about last night. Oh- You might wanna button up your shirt, all the way,” The coy grin on Gladio’s face made the blonde nervous and curious, he looked in the mirror to see why and immediately turned bright red. 

“How in blazes did that happen?!” Gladio just chuckled, getting up and unbuttoning the shirt to see the full extent of his handy work. There were multiple dark bruises along Ignis’ neck from the shields payback last night, although he hadn’t meant to leave so many or for them to be so noticable. 

“Sorry Iggy, well- I’m not sorry but y’know- It’ll be easy to cover, besides, you seemed to have fun,” Ignis shot his partner a cold stare, replacing his shirt with one that had a high collar. 

\----------------

_Present day - After the trial of Leviathan_

After losing track of Ignis, Gladio and Prompto continued to evacuate what was left of the city, but once that was complete the pair of them instantly started searching for their lost friends. Taking out MT’s and dodging stray debris falling was tougher than they thought while trying to maneuver the city, thankfully after what felt like forever Prompto spotted the altar but Gladio felt his stomach sink when he couldn’t see Noct or Ignis, they sprinted over and the anxiety shared between them just grew heavier and heavier. 

Luna wasn’t among the people here so naturally he assumed the worst came to her. Noct was out cold and looked like he would be a while other than that he was pretty much unharmed, Ignis though… Gladio couldn’t believe his eyes, the man looked near death. Soaked through with rain, battered and bruised but what rattled the shield more than anything were the stark grey wounds, a large wound covered his left eye and ran from the top of his eyebrow to just below his cheekbone and more smaller ones scattered on the visible skin.

Upon returning to the city, Gladio refused to leave Ignis’ side despite being asked multiple times by doctors. Now he could see more of the injuries though. The grey wounds were more like burns, scorching his body in various areas and patterns but the worst being around his left eye, the extent of the damage remains to be seen if and when he wakes up. 

Gladio just wanted to know what happened to his partner, after losing him at the bridge Ignis must’ve been through hell to look this bad. Despite it all, his oath and his duty, Gladio couldn’t help but pin Noct responsible. It was wrong for certain but he couldn’t help it, there must have been a reason behind all this but without Noct or Ignis awake, there was no way to figure it out, now that Ravus had gone too. The shield decided to try and get some rest, he needed to be strong for all of them right now. 

The sound of the bed creaking woke Gladio with a start, no more startling than seeing Ignis sitting upright, the sight made his heart rise and sink almost simultaneously. “Iggy…?” The blonde man tilted his head to the side a fraction, as if unsure where the voice was from. 

“Gladio?” The larger man noticed his partners hands gripping the bed sheets and a sad look on his face. 

“How’re you feeling?” Gladio hesitated to reach out to Ignis, he wanted to touch him again and feel his warmth but… As he did so Ignis flinched away by instinct. 

“I’m fine, a few minor injuries, what of Noct? Are you and Prompto alright?” The larger man could only stare in disbelief at his partner, how he could say that his injuries are minor was beyond his comprehension. 

“He’s fine, out cold still but fine. Prompto and I are fine too. Iggy… What the hell happened? Why won’t you look at me?” Instead of sitting to the side, Gladio moved to sit on the bed in front of the other. Instinctively Ignis looked away, his bangs falling in front if his face, the sadness fading to sheer displeasure. 

“Thank goodness. Though I don’t recall what happened,” Gladio could tell Ignis was lying. After years of friendship and their relationship, he could see when something was wrong and when he was lying easily. 

“You're lying. What could be so bad that you want to hide from me? Iggy, please,” Ignis clicked his tongue in annoyance and tried to move away, when he nearly fell off the bed Gladio forced him to lay down and sat beside him, eyes never leaving his face. 

“Open your eyes,” While Ignis wasn’t one to straight up refuse to comply with anything, without reason at least, he knew what he was hiding would devastate Gladio. He even knew the man blamed Noct for his demise, given that it was his choice to make the sacrifice. “Damn it Ignis! If you won’t open your damn eyes at least talk to me, tell me what happened! Please…” As Ignis tried to shuffle away Gladio moved his hands to his wrists and held him down, not without feeling guilty though when Ignis winced at his grip. 

“If you insist,” With clear reluctance Ignis slowly opened his eyes, Gladio’s heart sank as low as it ever had and he even felt a tear forming. The bright green eyes he adored so much had faded to a murky white, it brought on a feeling of resentment to whatever or whoever caused this. The shield couldn’t even hold back the tear threatening to fall, he just gave up and it fell onto the scar over the other's eye. 

“What happened Ignis? And don’t bullshit me about how it was nothing, these aren’t from an MT,” He lightly touched the scars that were scattered like bolts of lightning, his sadness just grew deeper the longer his eyes lingered on the wounds. Ignis really didn’t want to tell him what he’d done. How he’d been forced to subdue Ravus, use forbidden power and keep Ardyn at bay, all to save Noct. Saying nothing to preserve his dignity… It was beneath him but no-one needed to know the price he was all too willing to pay to save his friend, he’d suffered excruciating pain and was prepared to give up more than his eyesight, all out of desperation to save Noct. 

“Perhaps… In time I’ll explain. For now, just trust me when I say, it’s better you don’t know,” Naturally Gladio was irritated that Ignis refused to answer him, after all they’ve been through together too. 

“Fine. I’m just- I’m glad you’re okay. I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you,” Gladio tried his best to keep his voice calm, standing up to walk round and help his partner sit up properly. “Gimme a sec, Prompto stepped out a minute ago so I’m gonna go grab him, brace yourself, he’s missed you,” Ignis nodded and swung his legs over the edge of the bed, hands gripping the bed sheets until his knuckles were white. 

“Iggy!” Prompto burst into the room and instantly bundled Ignis, still being careful not to be too forceful in case he caused more harm. 

“I’m glad you’re alright, Prompto,” Hesitantly Ignis returned the livewires embrace, tears streamed down freckled cheeks and he just sobbed into Ignis’ shoulder, Gladio sat beside them passively and silently. 

“Hey, Prompto, why don’t you go check on Noct? Think Iggy’s in need of a bath, eh?” Reluctantly the blonde released his embrace and wiped his tears away, not being able to look at the grey scarring on his friends face, not without more tears threatening to fall. 

“Yeah… Okay. I’m really glad you’re okay, Iggy, um… I know you’ll hate it but, I got you a cane to help with walking… Since y’know-” Prompto handed it to Gladio, lips pursed and eyes down as he left the room, closing the door behind him quietly. 

“We’re not going anywhere yet, don’t worry about it, c’mon… I bet you’ll appreciate being clean,” Gladio helped Ignis stand, leading him by the hand to the bathroom and sit on the edge of the bath. Ordinarily, the shield would be all too happy to help Ignis out of his clothes but now… He dreaded seeing the full extent of the damage, the adviser was shy anyway but at this point he was almost completely unwilling to let Gladio see or touch him. 

“While I’m thankful for the assistance… I-” The shield put a finger to Ignis’ lips to quieten him, standing with his hands on the smaller shoulders, scanning the full measure of the horrible scars that marred the once flawless skin. 

“Just accept it. You’re in no condition or mindset to do things on your own at the moment. So suck it up and let me take care of you,” At that Ignis just huffed and submitted.

**Author's Note:**

> Eyyyyy you made it to the end! Again I'm so sorry, I didn't realise how long it was, hope it was worth the effort :D


End file.
